Crushed Hearts
by Emme019
Summary: They stared at each other for a few seconds, and it pained her so much to just stand there and look at him, but she couldn't just walk away either. - One shot. Takes place after the season 3 finale.


"What do you think about this one?" Regina asked her son who was sitting on the opposite side of the kitchen table. He raised his eyebrows at the website she just showed him as if to say 'Really, mom?'.

Regina sighed. "Come on, Henry, you can't just say no to every school I propose. Emma and I both think this one looks great. And it's also the one closest to home."

"Emma didn't say anything to me about that one," Henry objected. "And when did you talk to her, you've been avoiding her ever since –"

"That's because she's rather … preoccupied at the moment," Regina interrupted him, clearing her throat. "But we've discussed it briefly, and this one looks good."

In a split second, her son went from grinning at her comment about Emma being 'preoccupied' to glaring at her. "So now I suddenly don't get a say in it anymore?"

"Sweetheart," Regina started, standing up and walking around to put her hands on her son's shoulders. "Being stubborn won't do you any good, so you better start looking at these folders and at least feign enthusiasm if you want to have a say in it."

At first, Henry leaned into her touch, but then he shrugged her hands off him and stood up as well. "Mom, look, I get it, you want me to go to a good school. But is it really necessary to visit every single school you find on the internet?"

"Of course! I want to see where you'll –"

"I already have a school, in New York!"

And there it was, the words Regina had been dreading to hear.

"I have friends there," Henry continued, seemingly oblivious to her rising anger.

"Well," Regina said, clearing her throat a few times before continuing. "Looks like you have it all figured out, don't you? In that case you don't need me anymore."

She turned around and walked into the hallway at a fast and angry pace, her stiletto heels clicking against the marble floor.

"Where are you going?" Henry asked when Regina took her coat from the hanger and opened the door.

"For a walk," she replied before closing the door behind her.

She didn't have time for this, she thought as she was walking down the all too familiar streets that were now covered with a thin layer of rain. She had thought Henry wanted to stay here, and Emma was the one being hesitant. Then the pirate had managed to change Emma's mind and she was more than willing to stay – something Regina was very glad for, if only so she could have her son by her side – and now Henry wanted to go back to New York. She wasn't the type of woman to bitch and cry about every little thing that went wrong, but right now everything seemed to fall apart in her life.

"Regina?"

She immediately turned around at his voice – force of habit – and swallowed the lump that had just formed in her throat. She should've known there was a big chance she would run into him, which is why she had avoided going outside the house for so long in the first place.

"Hello, Robin."

He looked as uncomfortable as she felt, putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "How – eh – how are you?"

She forced a smile on her face. "Fine, thank you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, too."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and it pained her so much to just stand there and look at him, but she couldn't just walk away either.

"How's Marian?" Regina eventually asked to keep the conversation flowing, but instantly regretted her question. She hadn't want to sound bitter, on the contrary, she had wanted to be polite. But she sounded like she despised the woman who had crushed her heart – which she technically did but she would never let Robin know that. Ironic, really, that she, the ultimate heart-crusher, had her heart crushed in return.

"Regina, I'm really so-" Robin started, an apologetic look on his handsome face, but she cut him off.

"Don't, Robin," she smiled while saying it, but only to mask her sadness. "I understand. I would've done the same if it had been Daniel."

That was a lie – a despicable lie – and they both knew it, but the glimpse of hurt Regina saw in Robin's eyes made her instantly regret what she had just said.

He suddenly did one step forward, towards her. "Regina," Robin said, "please believe that I never meant for you to get hurt. I – I don't even know how to deal with all of this. I thought she was dead, and suddenly she's here, alive. And Roland…"

Regina cast her eyes down and sighed. "I understand. You're a loyal husband, and you're a great father. I know what being a parent is like, you put your child first. I'll never blame you for that." She smiled again. "Just, tell Roland I'm sorry he didn't get the apple pancakes I promised him for breakfast."

Roland had probably forgotten about the apple pancakes as soon as he saw his mother, but Regina couldn't help but feel like she owed the little boy at least some explanation, or rather an apology for why she's no longer in his life.

"I will," Robin promised.

"Thank you," Regina said before excusing herself and walking past him.

"He misses you terribly, by the way," Robin said, making her turn back around.

"I seriously doubt that," she replied, thinking about how young Roland was and how he couldn't possibly understand all this, except for the fact that his mother is back.

Robin shot her a sad smile, reluctantly agreeing with her.

"_I_ miss you," he eventually said, "terribly."

"I miss you too," she whispered back. "Bye, Robin. Take care."

She didn't hear if he said goodbye to her as well, because she was solely focused on walking so fast while trying to keep her dignity intact. She may be heartbroken but she was still Regina Mills. No one would see her cry.

With shaking hands she got the keys out of her purse, and opened the door.

"Mom?"

"It's me," she said, smiling at his voice.

Henry appeared on the stairs, his brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetie," she sighed, trying to shake off every emotion her meeting with Robin had evoked.

While she was taking off her coat, she heard Henry getting down the stairs and felt his arms wrap around her shoulders.

"It's going to be okay, mom," he whispered in her ear.

And suddenly, Regina's tears started flowing and she held on tightly to Henry. "Do you really believe that?" she hiccupped after a while. (So much for her dignity.)

"Of course," he said, pulling back from their hug. "True love always wins. And you're not a villain anymore, so you can't say that only the heroes get to have true love."

Regina started laughing. "What would I do without you, huh?" she said through her tears, stroking his hair like she used to when he was little.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm not going back to school in New York after all."

* * *

**Thoughts?**


End file.
